A landmark lawsuit filed Tuesday against Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, alleges that the military's repeated failures to take action in rape cases created a culture where violence against women was tolerated, violating the plaintiffs Constitutional rights.

There are three types of women in the Army, says Rebecca Havrilla, a former sergeant and explosive-ordnance-disposal technician. Bitch, dyke, and whore. During the four years that Havrilla was on active duty, she was called all threeby fellow soldiers, team leaders, even unit commanders. Once, during a sexual-assault prevention training, the 28-year-old South Carolina native claims, she watched a fellow soldiermalestrip naked and dance on top of a table as the rest of the team laughed. While deployed in Afghanistan, Havrilla spent four months working under a man she alleges bit her neck, pulled her into his bed, and grabbed her butt and waiston a daily basis. When, on the last day of her deployment, she alleges she was raped by a soldier she considered a friend, it was, she says, the icing on the cake.

Having been a woman in a so-called “man’s” business for most of my hot-looking years, it certainly passes the smell test for me. I was manhandled in supply closets, under the table at business meetings in front of my boss, in elevators. One of my bosses (from a Fortune 500 corporation) actually drove 40 miles to show up at my doorstep and explain that his wife was out of town and he knew that I wanted him. The only way I could get rid of him was to say, “Please, no birth control — I want to have your baby!” He was out of there in a flash. He refused to promote me unless I went “with” him on a business trip. That’s when I left and started my own business, which I ran on my own terms. But successful self-employment is infinitessimally harder than corporate employment— you’re never not working — and my health suffered accordingly. Thanks so much, pigs.

the soldier’s world is not a place women should be and that goes quadruple for combat situations.

I speak as a 10-year Air Force vet who had plenty of her share of “sexual assault” stuff. But I was never stupid enough to report it as it wasn’t worth the bother and I understood where I was. Same stuff happened outside the military - you have to, as a female, be WARE of males and conduct yourself with care and vigilance.

Sorry for your trouble but your ‘smell test’ doesn’t relate to this. You guys see a headline and jump right in on her side. Hell, who files a lawsuit against a guy who JUST launched his book? Plus Gates was Bush. Fine, Identify the guy who raped you, identify the guys who molested you and have them arrested. Press a criminal suit, not a civil action. How about waiting to see further proof?

27
posted on 02/15/2011 8:38:02 AM PST
by Doc Savage
("I've shot people I like a lot more,...for a lot less!" Raylan Givins)

Friend of mine in the armed forces told me that many of the
woman soldiers were doing “tricks” for men soldiers...he told
me that’s how they upped their pay..

I would guess that rape,prostitution,”brown nosing”(in the businees
sense) will always occur(not 100%) when men are with the ladies for more
than a few days...isn’t that why they were segregated in
the first place?

28
posted on 02/15/2011 8:38:02 AM PST
by Getready
(Wisdom is more valuable than gold and diamonds, and harder to find.)

Yep. They build up warrior men, then expect them to be docile little puppies around women. Insane.

The warrior ethic needs to be a spiritual thing in addition to a mechanical thing. I think most services do a pretty good job of instilling a sense of honor in our warriors, but it's something that can always use more attention.

That said, psychopaths exist in all parts of society and some of them get into the military. It'll always happen.

And *that* said... there is a price to pay for having women in the military in the first place. Problems like this were predicted.

32
posted on 02/15/2011 8:45:00 AM PST
by Ramius
(Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)

Crimes happen all over. But the only "rape epidemic" that I know of is in prisons.

This seems like a volley of false and exaggerated charges for the sole purpose of undermining the morale and harmony among our men and women in the military.

Notwithstanding a predictable level of criminal behavior in any segment of society, I believe that our the military takes sexual discrimination and sexual harassment and criminal sexual behavior quite seriously.

I see that you didn’t read the article, about evidence being suppressed or “lost”, and the chain of command regarding such allegations. When it comes to “proof” or evidence, an enlisted person just can’t go out and call the LEO’s to start investigating on a military base when they have been raped.

As for Rumsfeld’s book tour or the reasoning of the law suit, it was probably her lawyer’s idea to time it this way, and I can’t say I blame him. I don’t think the suit will succeed in troubling Rumsfeld or Gates; but I do think it will shed light in an area that very much needs airing out, especially with the military playground for gays and lesbians all set to open up.

By the way, I have always been against the idea of women serving alongside men in the army, firefighters, police and/or the clergy. This is only one of the reasons.

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